Fire season over in Sierra Nevada

Fire season is officially over in the Mother Lode. The Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection transitioned into "winter preparedness" status Monday.

That means seasonal firefighters will go home for the winter and some remote stations will close. All engines will remain available, however, and the agency is prepared to call back crews should fires or weather conditions require it.

The transition also means Cal Fire burn permits will not be required for the next few months.